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Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
Life sucks when you're twelve. You're not a little kid, but you're also not an adult, and all the grown-ups in your life talk about your body the minute it starts getting a shape. And what sucks even more than being a Chinese-Filipino-American-Guatemalan who can't speak any ancestral language well? When almost every other girl in school has already gotten her period except for you and your two besties.
Manuela "Mani" Semilla wants two things: to get her period, and to thwart her mom's plan of taking her to Guatemala on her thirteenth birthday. If her mom's always going on about how dangerous it is in Guatemala, and how much she sacrificed to come to this country, then why should Mani even want to visit?
But one day, up in the attic, she finds secret letters between her mom and her Tía Beatriz, who, according to family lore, died in a bus crash before Mani was born.
But the letters reveal a different story. Why did her family really leave Guatemala?
What will Mani learn about herself along the way? And how can the letters help her to stand up against the culture of harassment at her own school?
From debut author Anna Lapera comes Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice—a novel full of spunk and activist heart.
"Anna Lapera expertly voices a young girl's middle school trials, with a voice so unique and heartfelt you will be cringing one moment and cheering the next. She weaves a distinctive story filled with humor, family heartache, and secrets while a young girl releases the fear of her voice and grasps its power."—Newbery Medalist Donna Barba Higuera
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    • Publisher's Weekly

      December 11, 2023
      Twelve-year-old Manula Semilla is worried; not only has her first period still not arrived, but she’s been constantly clashing with her mother. Their fights become more frequent when Mami plans a trip for Mani and her parents to visit family in Guatemala, even though Mani would prefer to spend time with her friend group, Las Nerdas. When an anatomy lesson at school goes awry, prompting unwanted attention from male classmates, Mani and Las Nerdas realize that certain boys’ harassment of their female classmates extends beyond their classroom. But what can Las Nerdas do about it? After Mani finds letters in the attic from her missing aunt addressed to her mother, she unravels the history of gender inequality in Guatemala and learns that her aunt was a journalist attempting to report on rampant femicide. Inspired by her aunt’s letters, Mani slowly drums up the courage to stand up against the school’s administration and their unwillingness to confront bullying. Using perceptive prose, debut author Lapera approaches Guatemala’s fraught history with care and respect, and lovingly spotlights the tension felt in the relationship between a protective mother and the daughter who seeks independence from her. Ages 10–14. Agent: Ellen Goff, HG Literary.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Allison Aguilar's performance offers this engaging coming-of-age story plenty of heart, spunk, and power. Mani is devastated that her mother has planned a surprise trip to Guatemala that will tear her away from her friends for the entire summer. But when she learns about the disappearances of Guatemalan women, Mani is determined to fight for what's right in her community. Mani is an unstoppable force, and Aguilar is the perfect voice for her. Her narration is full of authentic teen fortitude and surprising grit. These traits are complemented by sweet and somber moments as Mani learns more about her family history. This audiobook will wow any listener. G.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

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  • English

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